Feature Real to Reel: Veterans Impacting Cinema Many veterans are entering the world of entertainment after service LJŶŶŝĞEĞůƐŽŶĂŶĚ<ĂƌĞŶ<ƌĂŌ

fter World War II, a wave Aof combat veterans came to Hollywood. While some were resuming careers, others were seeking to forge one. Over the next few decades, the combined work of these veterans changed cinema forever, with many achieving legendary status, such as John Ford ( Battle for Midway ), Frank Capra (It’s a Wonderful Life ), and William Wyler ( Ben-Hur ). Fast forward to today. A new generation of veterans returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are making their own marks on Hollywood. And they are ÀQGLQJPHQWRUVKLSDQGVXSSRUW from other military veterans already established in the business. Some of these veterans are Oscar nominated or Emmy winners, others are working in network television or inside studios, while still others are students or in transition—but all

are part of a group called Veterans YAO TIM in Media & Entertainment (VME). Gary Sinise, Emmy & Golden Globe-winning actor, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders

VME Begins VME began as a networking group in 2012, where veterans more than 85 percent of jobs could meet and learn about the rely on personal connections. industry. VME has since evolved For veterans, when they leave to serve as the premier alumni service, they are behind their group for veterans working in all peer group in whatever second aspects of the business, and across career they choose to follow. For all studios, networks, agencies, veterans focused on media and production companies, guilds, and entertainment, VME serves as an unions. accelerator by providing education While most of its 3,500 members and event opportunities to connect are concentrated in Los Angeles, veterans to each other and to emerging chapters can be found Hollywood. across the country. Active duty Over the years, seven members join to gain access to distinct VME programs were the closed web platforms, where formed: Guest Speaker Series, they can learn about the industry Jobs & Internships, Education, and build relationships before Casting Project, Screening

transitioning out. Series, Networking Events, and MURGA REBECCA According to a LinkedIn report, Community Outreach. Because Stan Lee, co-creator, Spider-Man, Thor, Avengers, X-Men

132 U.S. VETERANS MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019 | WWW.USVETERANSMAGAZINE.COM REBECCA MURGA REBECCA VME members on the red carpet at the Annual Grants Banquet at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 2017. VME was proud to be the first veterans group to receive a grant from HFPA. REBECCA MURGA REBECCA REBECCA MURGA REBECCA Franklin Leonard, founder, The Black List Jon Huertas, former Air Force parajumper, actor, , , Generation Kill

WWW.USVETERANSMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER 2019 | U.S. VETERANS MAGAZINE 133 VME is almost entirely run by volunteers, each program is in a GLͿHUHQWVWDJHRIGHYHORSPHQW and the group relies on donations and key grants from generous supporters like the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Got Your Six, and 21st Century Fox.

Hollywood Responds The great news is that Hollywood has enthusiastically stepped up to help VME with its Jobs & Internships and other programs. Last year, through the work of our nearly 30 tireless volunteers, more than 100 veterans found jobs or internships, and more than 100 veterans were cast in roles from television commercials WRIHDWXUHÀOPV$OOLHVLQFOXGH , HBO, 21st Century Fox, Endemol Shine North America, 44 Blue, A+E Networks, CBS, The Ebersol Lanigan Company, DreamWorks Animation, Live Nation Entertainment (including its House of Blues, Ticketmaster,

Insomniac, and Roc Nation MURGA REBECCA groups), NBC Universal, Jon Voight, a VME guest speaker, pinned rank on VME Director of Career Placement (volunteer) LTC Scotty Autin, with his wife Barbara (former Army and VME Volunteer Director of Jobs & Internships) and their children. Both LTC , Autin and Barbara are West Point graduates. Entertainment, United Talent Agency, Valhalla Entertainment, A Really Good Home Pictures, and Viacom. The American Legion is a core partner. Palisades Post 283 awarded a crucial grant for the growth of the Jobs & Internship Program, and Hollywood Post 43 provides regular meeting space and access to their new, world- class theater.

Guest Speaker Series & Educational Events VME has hosted more than 50 guest speakers, such as Jon Voight, Gary Sinise, Adam Goldberg, , Ron Meyer, Bruce Cohen, Dara Weintraub, Eric Heisserer, Mykelti Williamson, Graham Yost, and more. Guest speakers are often VME members themselves, such as the late Marvel legend Stan Lee (Army, playwright), a WWII veteran; Jon Huertas (Air Force, More than 300 VME members host guest speakers Athena pararescue jumper), an actor in Wickham (executive producer, Westworld ) and Meher Tatna This Is Us and Castle ; and Ric (president, Hollywood Foreign Press Association) in November Arthur (Navy, R&D liaison), a 2018. The event took place at The American Legion Hollywood Post 43 in their new world-class theater. REBECCA MURGA REBECCA

134 U.S. VETERANS MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019 | WWW.USVETERANSMAGAZINE.COM former writer on NCIS and The will host a job and internship Last Ship. TJ Brady (Army, armor) board, casting notices, and serve is a writer/producer with credits as a resource for veterans to learn on Narcos, Animal Kingdom, and from each other. In the meantime, Shooter +H·VEHHQDJXHVWVSHDNHU the VME success stories are on the and taught such classes as How a march. Writer’s Room Works and brought Enrique Rico Diaz (USMC, Ret) industry guests to help out, like is a producer of DeKalb Elementary , producer Rob Hanning ( Frasier which was nominated for a and Hawaii Five-O ). 2018 Oscar for Best Live-Action 0DUF3RUWHUÀHOG $UP\DLU Short. As a result of networking defense artillery) is an Emmy- at VME, he has two features nominated producer of Fear the in development, including the Dead: Passage who also gives back adaptation of his award-winning to his fellow veterans by teaching military drama short, Jeremy . entry-level line producing classes. Members Ethan Morse and Neal Schrodezki founded Time to Kill Industry Partners Join In Productions, which is currently The Hollywood Foreign Press developing Honor Guard , featuring Association gave VME a key Academy Award ® nominated Sam grant for $30,000 toward its Elliott as narrator. internship program, as well as Writer-director Henry “Hank” 100 Film Independent passes Hughes is a twice-deployed YDOXLQJ90(·VLQGXVWU\ former Army Captain. His SDUWQHUVRͿHUDYDULHW\RIFODVVHV American Film Institute (AFI) from Resume Workshop & Mock thesis Day One , based largely Interviews with Lionsgate Human on his experiences as a cavalry Resource representatives to a scout leader in Afghanistan, Comparative Camera Technology received critical acclaim and was

FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAGES FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY Workshop at the Camera Division. nominated for a 2016 Academy Sam Elliott is narrating Honor Guard, a film by VME members Ethan Morse .HOO\%D\HWW·V%DUNLQJ2ZODQG Award ® for Best Live Action Short and Neal Schrodetzki of Time to Kill Productions. 92&DUHV·-LOO.HUVKDZRͿHUD Film. voice-over class, with top casting Member Ryan Binse, a Navy directors mentoring veterans. veteran and producing student The recorded demos are cleaned at AFI, landed an internship at up and given to the veteran for HBO in current TV programming their reels. The class has a value of VD\V´7ZR\HDUVDJR,ZDVÀ[LQJ more than $1,500 per person, and electrical boxes on ships. Now, members have landed national WKDQNVWR90(,·PUHDGLQJ commercial campaigns as a direct screenplays for the most award- result. winning distributor in television.” Civilian Ryan Black, VP of Rashaan Dozier-Escalante Acquisitions and Development, at completed an internship at Grindstone Entertainment Group HBO, where she worked on the holds an annual Pitchfest for a hit show Westworld , followed dozen veteran screenwriters. E\DQLQWHUQVKLSZLWK717·V National Alliance of Latino development program. Rashaan Independent Producers was recently selected to be in the (NALIP) provides over a dozen Writers Mentoring Program at scholarships throughout the year. CBS and credits her internship 7KH6RXWKZHVWHUQ/DZ6FKRRO·V experience with helping her gain Entertainment and Arts Legal the experience she needed to make Clinic provides legal support to the leap. Rashaan also continues HPHUJLQJYHWHUDQÀOPPDNHUVIRU to give back to VME, moderating free, while providing experience a panel with guest speaker Athena to law students under the Wickham last November and even supervision of attorneys. making donations as she can. “Hollywood is a hard place,” Forging Ahead says Barbara Autin, Volunteer Rebecca Murga is currently Director of Jobs & Internships. leading the creation of a VME “Anything we can do to help each Connect Online Platform, which RWKHUPDNHVDGLͿHUHQFHµ

WWW.USVETERANSMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER 2019 | U.S. VETERANS MAGAZINE 135